Though they wouldn’t know for sure until she got into surgery, he felt confident the bullet had missed her spine. With paralysis the lesser of two evils—the other being death—Grant took the chance and rolled her over onto her back.
Sliding his hands beneath her cold body, he quickly lifted her into his arms and made his way out from between the cars. Once they were clear, he took off like a bat out of hell toward the emergency entrance around the corner.
Carrying her limp body through the automatic doors, he began shouting for someone to help. A doctor about the size of Trevor’s tiny wife, Lexi, and two nurses came running up to him.
Knowing Brynnon didn’t have time for a long-ass story, Grant told them what they needed to know in order to save her...She’d been shot and left in the cold to die.
Practically ripped from his hands, the team of medical professionals transferred her to a gurney and began taking her vitals. One nurse shouted out her low-as-fuck blood pressure and a bunch of other shit he didn’t recognize. After that, the doctor rambled off a shit ton of tests she wanted ordered, plus something about a warming system.
In the midst of that chaos, another staff member came and got Brynnon’s father, stating there was something going on with Billy.
Knowing the man was torn between staying with his daughter and going to his son, Grant said, “Go. Be with Billy. I’ve got her.”
With a weary nod, the man followed the gentleman down the hall toward the elevators.
The team working on Brynnon quickly pushed her through a set of opened, double-doors and into a room. When Grant started to follow, the doctor put a hand to his chest. “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to stay out here.”
Memories of another hospital—another hallway—assaulted him. Now this doctor wanted him to go through that shit again?
Like hell.
“I’m not leaving her.”
Coop pulled on his arm. “Come on, man. Let them do their jobs.”
“He’s right, G,” Derek chimed in. “Trust me, I get it. It was hell waiting for Charlie to get out of surgery after that bastard of an ex nearly beat her to death. But you have to give them room to work. It’s what Brynnon needs most right now.”
Glaring at his teammate, he jerked away from his grasp. “I’m not fucking leaving her.”
The brunette opened her mouth to argue when a voice he recognized cut her off.
“Go take care of your patient, Sophie. I’ll deal with these guys.”
They all turned to see Jason Ryker, R.I.S.C.’s Homeland handler, walking toward them. “Thanks, Jason.” The doctor’s eyes softened a bit. She turned to go back into the room, stopping long enough to tell Grant, “I promise I’ll do everything I can to save her.”
With a final, sideways glance at Ryker, the woman walked into the room, shutting him out.
“How is she?”
Grant stared at the closed door, ready to break the fucker down. “Alive. For now.”
“Soph’s one of the best doctors here. Your girl’s in good hands.”
Even the best doctors fail.He knew that all too well. And if they did this time...if he lost Brynnon for good...there wouldn’t be a god powerful enough to save Martin Downing’s soul.
For the next hour, Ryker, Coop, and Derek all hung out in the hallway with him. Upon Ryker’s insistence, a nurse brought him a set of clean scrubs to change into, since the front of his shirt was covered in Brynnon’s blood.
Their topic of conversations moved from one thing to the next, but Grant didn’t listen to any of it. Instead, he spent that time planning.
Driven by his need for revenge, his thoughts were quickly consumed with bloody, gratifying scenes. In his mind, he saw himself torturing Downing with the most excruciating methods he could imagine.
Every once in a while, a comment was made about how strong Brynnon was. How, if anyone could make it through this, it would be her.
Grant appreciated what his friends were trying to do, but the idea of inflicting insurmountable pain on the bastard responsible was more comforting than any platitudes his teammates or Ryker could give.
Downing may think he’d gotten away, but with his team by his side, Grant knew they’d eventually find him. And when they did, when he finally got his hands on the motherfucker, he was going to show Downing just how big a mistake hurting his Brynnon had been.
Sometime later, Grant wasn’t sure how long it had been, Jake and Olivia came rushing through the doors. Olivia’s large baby bump caused a slight waddle to her step, but she was still able to keep up with her husband’s long stride.
